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At least 145 records · Page 8

Effective depth of spectral line formation in planetary atmospheres

The effective level of line formation for spectroscopic absorption lines has long been regarded as a useful parameter for determining average atmospheric values of the quantities involved in line formation. The identity of this parameter has recently been disputed. This paper reestablishes the dependence of this parameter on the average depth at which photons are absorbed in a semi-infinite atmosphere and shows that the mean depths derived by others are similar in nature and behavior.

Lestrade, J. P.↗

A formula for calculating theoretical photoelectron fluxes resulting from the He/+/ 304 A solar spectral line

A simplified method for the evaluation of theoretical photoelectron fluxes in the upper atmosphere resulting from the solar radiation at 304 A is presented. The calculation is based on considerations of primary and cascade (secondary) photoelectron production in the two-stream model, where photoelectron transport is described by two electron streams, one moving up and one moving down, and of loss rates due to collisions with neutral gases and thermal electrons. The calculation is illustrated for the case of photoelectrons at an energy of 24.5 eV, and it is noted that the 24.5-eV photoelectron flux may be used to monitor variations in the solar 304 A flux. Theoretical calculations based on various ionization and excitation cross sections of Banks et al. (1974) are shown to be in generally good agreement with AE-E measurements taken between 200 and 235 km, however the use of more recent, larger cross sections leads to photoelectron values a factor of two smaller than observations but in agreement with previous calculations. It is concluded that a final resolution of the photoelectron problem may depend on a reevaluation of the inelastic electron collision cross sections.

Richards, P. G.↗

Doppler wavelength shifts of ultraviolet spectral lines in solar active regions

Doppler shifts are measured for solar UV emission lines formed in the lower transition region of active regions. Doppler shifts in different regions at the same solar location, variations of Doppler shift with position of an active region on the disk, and variations of Doppler shift with time at the same solar location in the same active region were studied. Observations were made with the NRL slit spectrograph on Skylab. Excluding flare and flare-related phenomena, only redshifts are found whose magnitudes correspond to downflow velocities between about 4 and 17 km/s. Shifts are largest for lines formed between about 50,000 and 100,000 K, and are distinctly less for lines formed above 100,000 K. The shifts persist out to the limb, but not above it. There is no obvious change in redshift for lines measured at the same solar location over time intervals of about 20 minutes.

Feldman, U.↗

Solar monochromatic images in magneto-sensitive spectral lines and maps of vector magnetic fields

A new method which allows by use of the monochromatic images in some magneto-sensitive spectra line to derive both the magnetic field strength as well as the angle between magnetic field lines and line of sight for various places in solar active regions is described. In this way two dimensional maps of vector magnetic fields may be constructed. This method was applied to some observational material and reasonable results were obtained. In addition, a project for constructing the three dimensional maps of vector magnetic fields was worked out.

Shihui, Y.↗

New identifications of Fe XVII spectral lines in solar flares

The identifications of Fe XVII transitions between the 2s(2)2p(5)3s, 3p, and 3d configurations published by Jupen (1984) are reviewed. The review is based on examining spectroheliograms of solar flares obtained by a Naval Research Laboratory instrument on Skylab (S082-A). Agreement is obtained with the majority of identifications given by Jupen, but different wavelengths are found for a few of the lines. The relative intensities of the lines are qualitatively in agreement with calculations. A broad line at 1153.20 A is identified with the 2p(5)3s(3)P(0)-2p(5)3s(3)P1 forbidden transition of Fe XVII. This line was found in flare spectra obtained by the NRL slit spectrograph on Skylab (S082-B).

Feldman, U.↗

Sub-arc second 2 centimeter continuum and SiO spectral line observations of R Aquarii

VLA observations with a limiting spatial resolution of about 0.15 arcsec were attempted along with complementary observations of SiO emission using the three-element Hat Creek interferometer to determine an accurate position of the long-period variable (LPV) of the R Aquarii binary system. The observations indicate that the LPV wind is distorted by the photoionization of the hot campanion's accretion disk, that precession of the accretion disk may occur, and that the observed v = 1, J = 2-1 transition emanates from a circumbinary layer far removed from the position of the LPV itself.

Hollis, J. M.↗

The temperature of solar flares determined from X-ray spectral line ratios

The effect on derived solar flare plasma temperatures of (1) a power-law distribution of emission measure as a function of temperature, (2) a high-temperature isothermal source coupled to a low-temperature power-law distribution of emission measure, and (3) two isothermal sources is calculated for line ratios involving the ions S XV, Ca XIX, Ca XX, Fe XXV, Ni XXVII, and Fe XXVI. It is shown that if the Fe XXV temperature is less than about 25 million K, as is true for the majority of flares, then about 75 percent or more of the emission measure is produced by plasma at temperatures equal to or less than the Fe XXV temperature plus about 3 million K. If the Fe XXV temperature is 20 million K or higher, this percentage can be larger. This result is obtained even if a superhot component exists that extends up to several hundred million degrees. Temperatures determined from Fe XXVI demonstrate the presence of a superhot component.

Doschek, G. A.↗

Determination of electron density and temperature in non-LTE plasmas from spectral lines of impurity ions

A novel approach for calculating the populations of the excited Li-like ions C IV, N V, O VI, and Ne VIII is presented. The populations of the 2(2P), 3(2S), 3(2P), and 3(2D) electronic levels in these ions in optically thin plasmas with a broad range of electron density, N(e), and temperature, T(e), are determined from the collisional-radiative model by solving the system of rate equations for the production of excited ions; the equations are linear with respect to the excited ion populations, and the N(e) and T(e) are taken as independent variables. These populations are used to determine the ratios of line intensities for dipole allowed transitions between various energy levels. This approach can be applied to impurities other than the lithiumlike ions and is especially useful for diagnostics of systems where nonintrusive spectroscopic techniques must be used.

Kunc, Joseph A.↗

Spectral line shapes. Volume 4 - Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, June 9-13, 1986

The present conference discusses topics in line broadening and shift phenomena in low-to-moderately dense plasmas, resonances in the continuum, hot and dense laser-produced plasmas, collisional broadening and intermolecular potentials, molecular broadening and collision-induced spectroscopy, collisional redistribution and laser-assisted collision processes, coherent and nonlinear spectroscopy, astrophysical line-shapes, and short-wavelength lasers. Attention is given to the widths and shifts of Be ion lines, the Stark broadening of Xe II and Fe I lines, perturbed and unperturbed series in the line-shapes of autoionizing Rydberg series, the line-broadening of hydrogenic ions in dense plasmas, Doppler-free line-shapes, the Franck-Condon principle, the dynamics of laser-assisted reactive collisions, the gas-kinetic effects of light, collision-induced processes in nonlinear optics, and line-shaping phenomena in cool stars.

Exton, Reginald J.↗

Spectral line profiles of nickel and argon in supernova 1987A - Expansion velocity and electron scattering effects

Spectra of SN 1987A showing the Ni II 6.634-micron and Ar II 6.983-micron fine-structure lines were obtained from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory in April 1988. The signal-to-noise ratio of 100 near the peaks and resolving power of 200 are sufficient to show the average velocity of expansion from the core of about 1400 km/s and to indicate the range of velocities. An asymmetry in the profiles of both lines and a redshift of the line centroids of about 440 km/s above the 280-km/s recessional velocity of the LMC can be explained in terms of scattering of the photons by electrons in the expanding hydrogen envelope of the supernova. A mass of 0.0030 solar masses of Ni II can be deduced from the line strength of the Ni II line and a mass of 0.0009 solar masses of Ar II from the Ar II line strength.

Witteborn, F. C.↗

Spectral line and white-light intensities in the corona in the presence of propagating or standing shocks

The effect of a propagating shock on the H I Ly-alpha line and the polarization brightness in the inner solar wind region is investigated. The shock produces measurable changes in both, and, provided the measurements are made simultaneously, the alteration of the density and velocity across the shock can be derived. For a standing shock, the effect of the Ly-alpha line and the white-light radiation is much smaller.

Esser, Ruth↗

Shifts of the spectral lines of He(+) produced by electron collisions

The shifts of the Ly-alpha, Ly-beta, and H-alpha lines of He(+) in a plasma, produced by electron scattering from radiating ions are calculated. Electron densities in the neighborhood of 10 to the 17th/cu cm and plasma temperatures from 1 to 6 eV are considered. The calculation is made in the impact approximation, and is based on a six-state close-coupling computation of the scattering matrices, into which an optical potential has been inserted. Small red shifts of the lines are obtained. The contribution of electron scattering to the linewidths is also considered.

Unnikrishnan, K.↗

Methane spectral line widths and shifts, and dependences on physical parameters

A detailed report of the recent high-resolution spectroscopic research on widths and shifts measured for a strong infrared-active fundamental of methane is presented. They were measured in collision with several rare gases and diatomic molecules, in the vibrational-rotational fundamental near 3000/cm. These measurements were made at an ambient temperature of 294 K over a range of pressures from 100 to 700 torr. The measurements are discussed in a preliminary but detailed and quantitative manner with reference to masses, polarizabilities, and quadrupole moments. Some functional dependences on these physical parameters are considered. The present data are useful for studies of corresponding planetary spectra.

Fox, K.↗

Electron impact polarization of atomic spectral lines. I - A general theoretical scheme

A suitable theoretical scheme able to describe, in a wide variety of astrophysical situations, the phenomenon of atomic line polarization by electron impact is developed. Starting from the general principles of quantum mechanics and assuming the Born approximation, the rate equations for the density matrix elements of a multilevel atomic system, interacting with a nonrelativistic electron beam having any kind of angular distribution, are derived in full generality. The resulting theory generalizes the previous ones by accounting for the collisional rates and the cross sections concerning both inelastic and superelastic collisions (in any geometrical situation), and, moreover, by taking into account the coherences among Zeeman sublevels split by a magnetic field. As an example of particular relevance, the general formulas derived in the first sections of the paper are subsequently particularized to the case of the electric dipole interaction.

Fineschi, Silvano↗

Relaxation of molecular velocities and spectral line profiles of astrophysical masers

The rates at which the velocities of water molecules relax to a Maxwellian distribution are calculated under conditions that are representative of those in astrophysical water masers. Populations are calculated as a function of velocity for the lowest 40 rotational energy levels of ortho-water in order to make a detailed determination of the velocity relaxation rate. Relaxation rates for the 22 GHz maser at H2 densities of 10 exp 9/cu cm are 2.0/s and 5.1/s for temperatures of 400 K and 1000 K, respectively. Under these and other conditions, as well as for other maser transitions, the relaxation rate far exceeds the loss rate - usually by more than a factor of 10. Thus maser lines can remain narrow up to intensities that are at least a factor of 10 greater than the saturation intensity, and to path lengths that are at least a factor of 10 greater than the path length at which saturation occurs. Relaxation is dominated by the effects of trapped infrared radiation, though elastic and inelastic collisions are also included in the calculations. These relaxation rates, together with the observed line breadths of the 22 GHz masers, provide limits on maser luminosities which indicate that the brightest 22 GHz masers are highly beamed, with solid angles smaller than 10 exp -5 to 10 exp -4 Sr.

Anderson, Nels↗

Search for spectral lines in cosmic gamma-ray bursts

Time-integrated spectra from 177 gamma-ray bursts observed by the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on NASA's Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SMM) have been systematically searched for evidence of emission lines in the range 300 keV and higher. The distribution of fitted line strengths is consistent with what is expected from a random sample of data, suggesting that there are no statistically significant narrow or moderately broadened line features in any of the bursts.

Messina, Daniel C.↗

Grains in ionized nebulae: Spectral line diagnostics

The depletion of condensable elements onto grains in gaseous nebulae can provide evidence that dust is well mixed with the ionized gas. Al and CA are two of the most depleted elements in the general interstellar medium, and it is therefore important to measure their abundances within the ionized region of nebulae. We compute a large grid of photoionization models and identify sets of line ratios which are relatively insensitive to stellar and nebular parameters, and are thus excellent diagnostics for determining relative abundances. Based on the absence of the ((Ca II) lambda lambda 291, 7324 doublet and the detection of Al II) lambda lambda 2660, 2669 in the ultraviolet, we determine the extent of aluminum and calcium depletion onto grains in NGC 7027 and the Orion Nebula. Our results show a approximately 0.3 dex depletion for Al, but a depletion of more than two and a half orders of magnitude for Ca. A similar calculation based on Mg II lambda 2798 yields roughly a 0.8 dex depletion for Mg. This reaffirms the discrepancy between depletion determined from high and low ionization Mg lines. We also find evidence for a 'depletion gradient' in Ca in NGC 7027, since the calcium depletion we infer for the outer, more neutral regions using (Ca II) is somewhat higher than that inferred for the inner high-ionization region, using (Ca v). This gradient can test current models of the survival of grains within hot ionized gas.

Kingdon, J.↗